FALL COLOR HIKES

Looking for a great FALL FOLIAGE HIKE? Just click on the "Fall Color" link in the Trail Index column (on the left) of this blog and 92 (count 'em 92) trails with colorful leaves will be displayed. Happy hiking!

HONANKI HERITAGE SITE

HONANKI HERITAGE SITE
Coconino National Forest

Our species may have been able to land a man on the moon, but we still haven’t figured out the centuries-old formula for mortar used by Arizona's ancient Sinagua culture. The mighty binder has held up for over 900 years resulting in a remarkably well-preserved collection of cliff dwellings in a remote canyon north of Sedona. A short, mostly shaded dirt path leads to the site which archeologists postulate was home to about 200 people during its heyday. It’s a good idea to either visit the Palatki site first (see blog entry below) or do some independent research before heading to Honanki. That’s because, the rich heritage of this ancient abode runs long and deep and knowing something of the history will enhance your visit. In addition to being expert architects, the people who created Honanki also were masters of earth and sky as evidenced in petroglyphs/pictographs depicting celestial events, and calendars that decorate the wall of the ruins.

LENGTH: 0.25 one-way
RATING: easy
ELEVATION: 4,700 – 4,750 feet
BEST SEASONS: September - May
DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 142 miles one-way

GETTING THERE:
From the “Y” intersection of Highways 179 and 89A, go left through the traffic circle and head south on 89A (toward Cottonwood). Continue 3.2 miles to Dry Creek Road, turn right and go 2.9 miles to a stop sign, veer left and go 1.6 miles to another stop sign, turn left onto FR152C and go 4 miles to FR525. Turn right on FR525 and go 0.1 miles to a fork in the road, veer left and continue on FR 525 to the parking area. The last 6 miles are rough dirt, a high clearance vehicle is recommended.
NOTE: once on Dry Creek Road, it’s easy to follow the signs to “Palatki-Honanki”.



HOURS: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
FEE: A Red Rock Pass ($5 daily per vehicle) or equivalent is required. Call to find out what other passes are accepted.
FACILITIES: vault toilet, information kiosk. The site is usually not staffed.
INFO: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/honanki-ruins.shtml, (928) 282-4119
RESERATIONS: not required.
PETS: not allowed
NOTE: Please respect the cultural and archeological significance of this fragile site. Do not touch the ruins or art and never pick up or remove any artifact. If you feel compelled, you may call the Forest Service to report a “find”, but please, do not touch!! Also, feel free to photograph any low-lifers (and their license plates) you may see defacing the ruins and forward to the Forest Service.

PALATKI HERITAGE SITE

PALATKI HERITAGE SITE
Coconino National Forest

For centuries, Native American cultures including the Clovis, Southern Sinagua (ancestors of the Hopi people) and Tonto Apache have inhabited the cliffs of Arizona’s Verde Valley. For most of the 11,000 years that the area around Palatki teemed with life, the climate was much cooler and wetter than it is today and the vast fields in Red Canyon yielded crops of beans, corn and grains. Then came the drought of 1276-1299 and the clans scrambled. Some stayed longer, but eventually, around 1400, the Sinagua abandoned the site. From the mid 15th century until 1875, the Tonto Apache inhabited the cliffs. Then, European settlers showed up with fruit trees.
What remains is a rich historical site with some of the best Native American pictographs in the Southwest. Faint images from the Archaic period (11,500 – 8,000 B.C.E. ) mingle with painted flute players and charcoal drawings made by more recent Apache people.
The site also features “Willard Cave” where the European settler Charles Willard lived for about a year while building his nearby homestead in the early 1920s. Visitors may enter the cave, provided the resident bats are feeling hospitable.
The site has two 0.25-mile trails. One leads to a series of alcoves and the pictographs. The other goes to some cliff dwellings. Forest service guides are very knowledgeable and put on a thoroughly enjoyable tour that lasts roughly 2 hours. On the day we visited, the trail to the dwellings was closed due to rock slide danger and signs posted elsewhere warned that either trail could be closed at any time for safety reasons and/or maintenance, so it’s a good idea to call ahead if you’re hell-bent on seeing everything.

LENGTH: 1 mile total (two trails)
RATING: easy (some rocky steps)
ELEVATION: 4,800 – 4,850 feet
BEST SEASONS: September - May
DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 137 miles one-way

GETTING THERE:
From the “Y” intersection of Highways 179 and 89A, go left through the traffic circle and head south on 89A (toward Cottonwood). Continue 3.2 miles to Dry Creek Road, turn right and go 2.9 miles to a stop sign, veer left and go 1.6 miles to another stop sign, turn left onto FR152C and go 4 miles to FR525. Turn right on FR525 and go 0.1 miles to a fork in the road, veer right onto FR795 and continue 1.7 miles to the parking area. The last 6 miles are rough dirt, a high clearance vehicle is recommended.
NOTE: once on Dry Creek Road, it’s easy to follow the signs to “Palatki”.



HOURS: 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 pm daily. The site is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas and when the access roads are impassable due to snow or storm damage. Call (928) 282-4119 for current conditions.
FEE: A Red Rock Pass ($5 daily per vehicle) or equivalent is required. Call to find out what other passes are accepted.
FACILITIES: Vault toilet, hand pump for water, visitor center. Forest Service staff stays on site.
INFO: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/palatki-ruins.shtml
RESERVATIONS: Call Palatki at (928) 282-3854 between 9:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to make a reservation. Reservations are highly recommended---without them, you may be turned away at the gate.
PETS: not allowed
NOTE: Please respect the cultural and archeological significance of this fragile site. Do not touch the ruins or art and never pick up or remove any artifact. If you feel compelled, you may call the Forest Service to report a “find”, but please, do not touch!! Also, feel free to photograph any low-lifers (and their license plates) you may see defacing the ruins and forward to the Forest Service.
MORE PHOTOS:http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1285662400397.37888.1795269672&type=1&l=2a2cfde131

NATIONAL-NEWS-RELEASE: Forest Service Begins the Fall Colors Season with 2010 Hotline

From: Press Office
Date: September 23, 2010 9:02:52 AM PDT
To: USDA-FS-NEWS@newsbox.usda.gov
Subject: NATIONAL-NEWS-RELEASE: Forest Service Begins the Fall Colors Season with 2010 Hotline


USDA Forest Service Press Release

Release No. 1017
Press Office
201 14th St.,SW,Washington, D.C.20024
Voice (202)205.1134
Web: http://www.fs.fed.us


Forest Service Begins the Fall Colors Season with 2010 Hotline

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2010 - USDA Forest Service officials have turned on the Fall Colors

2010 Hotline - 1-800-354-4595 - and will use Twitter, Facebook and blogging to provide users

with the latest information about fall foliage color changes on Forest Service lands.

"Thousands of people take trips each autumn on national forests to see the spectacular show

of colors," said Tom Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. "Our national forests offer

some of the country's best vistas to view fall colors and magnificent landscapes, and they

offer an ideal setting for families to get outdoors and learn about trees and changing

colors."

Changing fall colors also bring positive economic impacts to local economies and the tourism

industry. For example, in New England alone, the fall foliage attracts an estimated $8

billion annually to area inns, restaurants, and local shops.

Forest Service employees are keeping tabs on the changing hues. The Fall Colors 2010 Web

site has links to individual forest fall colors sites and suggestions on how to get kids

excited about the season. The site also includes Frequently Asked Questions about why leaves

change colors and what happens after the leaves fall.

"In the temperate zones, the biggest stresses that trees face are changes of seasons," said

Kevin Smith, a Forest Service plant physiologist and an expert on trees. "The fall foliage

color change is a milestone during the process of this natural cycle. And trees handle it

pretty well."

Forest Service officials indicate that general summer weather conditions experienced this

year are not expected to influence the timing and intensity of leaf color. What is of

particular importance is the timing and frequency of fall frosts.

The peak season for fall viewing in most national forests normally begins in late September

and continues through early November. However, the specific timing and length of the fall

color season is affected by autumn weather patterns that are often difficult to forecast.

Consult local forests for best foliage times in your area.

The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity

of the Nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.

The Agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to State and

private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world.

#
NOTE TO EDITORS: To schedule an interview with Kevin Smith, contact the Forest Service Press

Office, 202-205-1294.

---------------------------------------------------

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discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W.,

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SECRET CANYON TRAIL

SECRET CANYON TRAIL #121
Red Rock Secret Canyon Wilderness, Sedona

A community of pinion pines, juniper and assorted cactuses at the trailhead belie what lies ahead on Secret Canyon Trail. Epic views of Sedona’s red rock landscape dominate the first 1.75 miles of this hike before the trail makes a sharp westward swerve at the mouth of the canyon. From here, the route leaves the shade-less chaparral plunging into a streambed where torrential spring water runoff and blowing dust have carved bizarre sculptures in the sandstone escarpments flanking the path. Residual pools of water stand at the bases of moisture-hungry cottonwoods with heart-shaped, lemony leaves.
Near the 5-mile point, the trail enters “the narrows”, a series of slick-rock corridors hemmed in by a vertical fortification of sandstone with clusters of blood-red maples and rusty-orange oaks bursting from the rubble-strewn canyon floor. Beyond this point, the trail degrades into a quagmire of scree and undergrowth which is why most hikers make the narrows their turnaround point. However, those with good route-finding skills can opt to scramble, squeeze and scoot along a sketchy footpath for another half-mile.

LENGTH: 5.5 miles one-way
RATING: difficult
ELEVATION: 4,500 – 5,100 feet
DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 134 miles
BEST SEASONS: September - May
BEST TIME FOR FALL COLOR: mid-October, For weekly reports, call the Forest Service Fall Color Hotline, 1-800-354-4595 or visit.fs.fed.us/r3/recreation/fall-colors/fall.shtml
GETTING THERE;
From the “Y” intersection of AZ 179 and AZ 89A in Sedona, go left (toward Cottonwood) on 89A for 3.2 miles to Dry Creek Road. Turn right and go 2 miles to Vultee Arch Road (Forest Road 152). Turn right and follow FR 152 3.4 miles to the trailhead on the left. A high clearance vehicle is required on FR 152.
FEE: Red Rock Pass--$5 per vehicle is required
INFO: Coconino National Forest, Red Rock District 928-203-2900
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/secret-canyon-tr.shtml

MAP: http://www.redrockcountry.org/maps/map-graphics/red-rock-map-9-05.pdf

DRY CREEK TRAIL

sycamores near their peak color on October 24

DRY CREEK TRAIL #52 Red Rock Secret Canyon Wilderness, Sedona Like a messy artists palette dripping with happy mistakes, Dry Creek trail is like a study in raw pigments applied with a random, liberal hand. Part desert canyon, part New England woodland, this hybrid hike features the best of both worlds. Broadleaf trees ablaze in tawny hues stand side-by-side with cactuses and agaves as if placed by a designer with a knack for using exotic accessories to enliven a familiar space. Following the rugged bed of Dry Creek, the trail is rocky and slippery where it jumps from one bank to the other. It’s easy to loose the trail at these points, so to stay on track, follow the series of rock cairns (piles of stones denoting the route) surrounded by an under story of crimson maples and scarlet sumac. BEST TIME FOR FALL COLOR: mid-October. For weekly reports, call the Forest Service Fall Color Hotline, 1-800-354-4595 or visit.fs.fed.us/r3/recreation/fall-colors/fall.shtml LENGTH: 7 miles one-way RATING: moderate ELEVATION: 4,800 – 5,600 feet BEST SEASONS: September - May BEST TIME FOR FALL COLOR: mid-to-late October DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 135 miles GETTING THERE: From the "Y" intersection of AZ 179 and AZ89A in Sedona go left (toward Cottonwood) and continue 3.2 miles to Dry Creek Road. Turn right, go 2 miles to Vultee Arch Road (Forest Road 152), hang a right and continue 4.5 miles to the Dry Creek #52 trailhead located past the Vultee Arch parking loop on the left. A high clearance vehicle is required on FR 152. FEE: Red Rock Pass--$5 per vehicle is required INFO: Coconino National Forest, Red Rock District 928-203-2900 http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/rec_redrock.shtml#trails MAP: http://www.redrockcountry.org/maps/map-graphics/red-rock-map-9-05.pdf

SECRET CANYON-DAVID MILLER-BEAR SIGN LOOP

SECRET CANYON-DAVID MILLER-BEAR SIGN LOOP
Red Rock Secret Canyon Wilderness, Sedona

This combination option hooks up two of the above trails with the David Miller connector and a segment of FR 152 for a long loop hike.
Begin on the Secret Canyon Trail and hike 1.75 miles to the David Miller junction. Veer right (north) on David Miller and go 1.5 miles to the Bear Sign junction. Turn right here and continue on Bear Sign 2.25 miles to the Dry Creek junction. Go right here and continue 0.75 miles to the Dry Creek trailhead. From here, go right and follow FR 152 one mile back to the Secret Canyon trailhead.
BEST TIME FOR FALL COLOR: mid-October. For weekly reports, call the Forest Service Fall Color Hotline, 1-800-354-4595 or visit.fs.fed.us/r3/recreation/fall-colors/fall.shtml

LENGTH: 7.25-mile loop
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 4,700 – 5,400 feet
DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 134 miles
BEST SEASONS: September - May
BEST TIME FOR FALL COLOR: mid-to-late October
GETTING THERE:
From the “Y” intersection of AZ 179 and AZ 89A in Sedona, go left (toward Cottonwood) on 89A for 3.2 miles to Dry Creek Road. Turn right and go 2 miles to Vultee Arch Road (Forest Road 152). Turn right and follow FR 152 3.4 miles to the trailhead on the left. A high clearance vehicle is required on FR 152.
FEE: Red Rock Pass--$5 per vehicle is required
INFO: Coconino National Forest, Red Rock District 928-203-2900
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/secret-canyon-tr.shtml

MAP: http://www.redrockcountry.org/maps/map-graphics/red-rock-map-9-05.pdf

BOYNTON CANYON TRAIL

BOYNTON CANYON #47
Red Rock Secret Canyon Wilderness, Sedona

One of Sedona’s most popular hiking destinations, the Boynton Canyon Trail weaves through a yawning gorge flanked by rusty-red and buff-colored ramparts. The route begins in a sandy gateway of mangled manzanita, agaves and yucca climbing gently uphill. Midway through the hike, the chaparral is swallowed up in forests of pine, oak, golden Arizona ash, box elder, Arizona walnut, Velvet ash, Common hop trees and syrupy-red Bigtooth maples. Here, the cliffs close in on the trail and robust canyon winds whip fallen leaves into a frenzy of color---mimicking the rustle and roar of a confetti addled street festival. Near the high point of the route, look for a steep spur path marked by rock cairns hidden in a tangle of brush. Experienced hikers can climb this earthen staircase to a scenic box canyon with sky-high red walls on all sides.
BEST TIME FOR FALL COLOR: mid-October. For weekly reports, call the Forest Service Fall Color Hotline, 1-800-354-4595 or visit.fs.fed.us/r3/recreation/fall-colors/fall.shtml
LENGTH: 3.7 miles one way
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 4,500- 5,050 feet
BEST SEASONS: September - May
BEST TIME FOR FALL COLOR: mid-to-late October
DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 135 miles one way
GETTING THERE:
From the "Y" intersection of AZ 179 and AZ89A in Sedona go left (toward Cottonwood) and continue 3 miles to Dry Creek Road. Turn right onto Dry Creek Road (Forest Road 152C) go 3 miles to Boynton Canyon Road, turn left and proceed another 0.3 miles to the parking lot on the right. Roads are paved.
FEE: Red Rock Pass--$5 per vehicle is required
INFO: Coconino National Forest, Red Rock District 928-203-2900 http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/boynton-tr.shtml
Red Rock Pass: http://www.redrockcountry.org/passes-and-permits/index.shtml
MAP: http://www.redrockcountry.org/maps/map-graphics/red-rock-map-9-05.pdf

BEAR SIGN TRAIL

BEAR SIGN TRAIL #59
Red Rock Secret Canyon Wilderness, Sedona

Although not apparent from the trailhead, the remote upper reaches of Bear Sign Trail host surprisingly rich woodlands of deciduous trees that transform into a canopy of color in early autumn. To find these hidden thickets, hike on the juniper-and-scrub-lined Dry Creek Trail to the Bear Sign junction, veer left and pick up the trail heading uphill. Much of the path parallels boulder-filled ravines lined with sycamore, willows and cottonwoods eking out a living where water collects among gigantic bounders. Throughout the hike, haphazard webs of Canyon grape vines sprawl in viral abundance forming delicate veils of diffused sunlight. An especially photo-worthy section of the route passes through a concentrated stand of Arizona cypress trees. The spindly trunks and shaggy bark of this tenacious species are marred by claw marks, scat and gnawed stumps-- the “bear signs” for which the trail is named. No worries though, the black bears that roam this area are shy creatures and will usually skulk off unnoticed when roused by approaching hikers. To learn more about hiking in bear country, visit: Southwest Be Bear Aware: http://www.bebearawaresw.org/
BEST TIME FOR FALL COLOR: mid-October. For weekly reports, call the Forest Service Fall Color Hotline, 1-800-354-4595 or visit.fs.fed.us/r3/recreation/fall-colors/fall.shtml

LENGTH: 3.5 miles one way
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 4,800 -5,450 feet
BEST SEASONS: September - May
BEST TIME FOR FALL COLOR: mid-to-late October
DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 135 miles
GETTING THERE:
From the "Y" intersection of AZ 179 and AZ89A in Sedona go left (toward Cottonwood) and continue 3.2 miles to Dry Creek Road. Turn right, go 2 miles to Vultee Arch Road (Forest Road 152), hang a right and continue 4.5 miles to the Dry Creek #52 trailhead located past the Vultee Arch parking loop on the left. A high clearance vehicle is required on FR 152.

FEE: Red Rock Pass--$5 per vehicle is required
INFO: Coconino National Forest, Red Rock District 928-203-2900
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/bear-sign-tr.shtml
MAP: http://www.redrockcountry.org/maps/map-graphics/red-rock-map-9-05.pdf

5 FABULOUS FALL HIKES

Temperatures are finally dropping and that means FABULOUS FALL COLOR is just a few weeks away. Last fall, I explored the canyons of Sedona, looking for more off-the-beaten-path pockets of foliage. By avoiding the swarms of visitors (and exorbitant parking fees) at the famous West Fork of Oak Creek Trail, I found alternative (and much less crowded) Sedona trails where fall color reigns supreme. Check out my trail picks in the October issue of PHOENIX magazine. On newsstands September 23, 2010.

Phoenix Councilman Sal DiCiccio's Take on the City's New Trailhead Parking Fees

UPDATE 9-16-10:
THE VOTE ON TRAILHEAD PARKING FEES HAS BEEN MOVED TO OCTOBER 6, 2010. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO REGISTER YOUR CONCERNS: http://copwww05.phoenix.gov/mydistrict/


The latest citizen sacrifice: Hikers
The city of Phoenix is getting ready to bleed yet another passionate segment of its citizenry, hitting them up for a few more dollars because they truly care about a narrow aspect of city life and are willing to pay more for it.

Then the city will turn around and give that money to its employees. There is insufficient backbone to say no.

This time it’s the hikers who will pay.

You’ve seen this movie before: Threaten to kill or severely cut some service with passionate (or desperate) supporters. Offer up a disaster scenario if more money isn’t produced. Then, after the initial wailing and public apoplexy, come up with a slightly lesser fleecing of this group to gain public compliance. Hey, it’s only a few bucks and it will keep our (fill in the blank) hiking trails, softball fields, library hours, etc. etc. etc.

The Oscar for this performance came during the budget hearings, where police, firemen, libraries and seniors centers were offered up as sacrifices to the fiscal gods if the public didn’t approve a $50 million food tax. Take a wild guess where all the public hearings were held? Libraries and senior centers, naturally.

The ugly truth is that the $100 million in new taxes and fees Phoenix has already imposed on its citizenry in the past seven months is not necessary to keep those services and protections. It’s to find enough money to pay for 14,000-plus union-represented employees who average $100,000 a year in compensation.

Yes, it was easier for Phoenix to cut after-school programs -- and send more than half of our at-risk kids back on the street, along with significant cuts to seniors -- than it was to look internally and take the significant steps to cut labor costs. By simply getting city employees to make the exact same compensation as you, the boss, we could save more than $300 million a year. Let me repeat this: If we can get public workers to make exactly what you make, we save hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Read on.

That average compensation for all employees has gone up $17,000 during the past five years, which means that while you were struggling to survive the worst recession in most of our lifetimes, Phoenix employees got $17,000 in raises. Did you get that? I hope so, because you’re paying for theirs. And you’re going to pay more – for a lower service level – unless citizens rise up and shout “ENOUGH.”

The parking fee – at trails you already pay for three ways – is a great place to start. This came about after the city drastically cut services and hours for parks, then gave the parks board the notion that if it didn’t raise money for the general fund, much more would be cut. That’s where the $5 a day parking fee came up (later reduced to $2 – hey, a comparative bargain). Then the city management promised that all the new dollars would go to parks.

First off, management can’t promise that. Even the Council can’t promise that, because it can’t commit a future Council. And because both the Council and management already have swept parks funds this year, creating this artificial crisis, you know they’re willing and capable of doing it again.

But more importantly, where’s the attention to the real drain, public employee labor costs? Everyone raised Cain when it was discovered that Bell, California, paid its top three employees hundreds of thousands of dollars. How about 14,000-plus employees averaging $100,000? (No, they don’t all make that, but the private sector compensation average for the Valley is $57,000, a difference of more than $40,000.)

Connect these dots, and Phoenix is heading for the same cliff as Los Angeles, Detroit, California, Greece and General Motors. And not only does the city not have a plan to deal with labor costs, it doesn’t even plan to have a plan, other than continuing to bleed you.

On Sept. 15, the Phoenix City Council will be asked to approve enforcing this latest rummage through your pockets. No Council approval, no new fee. I say it’s time to separate the taxing and spending addict from its drug, which is your money.

Doing so would force Phoenix to grow a backbone and restructure its operations for today’s fiscal reality. Doing so requires you citizens demanding that it be so.

Councilman Sal DiCiccio represents District 6, which includes Ahwatukee, Arcadia, Biltmore, East Camelback and North Central. He can be reached at council.district.6@phoenix.gov.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD, SEND AN EMAIL TO YOUR REP:http://copwww05.phoenix.gov/mydistrict/

RANCH TRAIL

RANCH TRAIL
Prescott National Forest

Cavernous ravines, high-desert washes and rolling ridgelines combine for a captivating hike in the foothills of the Bradshaw mountains. Closed to motorized vehicles, the Ranch Trail #62 offers a quieter hiking experience than other shared-use routes in the district. The track rambles from ridge-to-ridge in a gently undulating rhythm through a maze of pinon pines, agaves and weather-worn boulders. The gritty earth underfoot shimmers with minerals exposed by the decaying granite that defines the area’s geology. Hovering around 6,000 feet in elevation, the trail is situated high enough above the Prescott valley to showcase fabulous views of Granite Mountain floating above the green glens that ring the town a thousand feet below.

LENGTH: 6.4 miles round-trip
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 5,600 – 6,500 feet
FEE: $2 daily fee per vehicle.
BEST SEASONS: April - October


GETTING THERE:
From Phoenix, travel north on I-17 for the Cordes Junction interchange. Go west on Highway 69 toward Prescott. Just before entering town, turn left (south) onto Walker Road (Country Road 57) and continue for a half-mile to the “62” trailhead on the right. Roads are paved all the way and there’s a restroom at the trailhead.

Information: fs.fed.us/r3/Prescott (928) 771-4700

WEST WEBBER CREEK

WEST WEBBER CREEK
Tonto National Forest
Located in the backwoods near Boy Scout Camp Geronimo beneath the Mogollon Rim, the West Webber Trail gets little publicity and few visitors. The reason for this becomes quite clear in the last two miles of the route. This hike involves connecting three trails. The circuit starts on Highline trail #31 across the road from the trailhead on the west side of Forest Road 440. After hopping shallow Webber Creek near a cluster of evergreen myrtle, follow trail #31 (marked by white diamond tree blazes) for roughly a third-of-a-mile to the junction with Geronimo trail #240 (follow the blue diamond tree blazes). From here, go right onto trail #240 and continue for 3 miles to the Turkey Springs trail junction where there’s a (usually dry) water trough and spigot. From the spring, take the left spur road and hike uphill to the signed junction for West Webber trail #228. It’s here where the hike becomes an adventure. The first half-mile hops a soggy spring seep area and is relatively easy to follow. After that, though, the path degrades into a train wreck of fallen trees, missing signposts and eroded slopes. Good route-finding skills and plenty of stamina are required to negotiate the final two-mile segment to the top of Milk Ranch Point—a promontory on top of the Rim. Those who survive the final haul to the top are rewarded with expansive vista views and hard-won bragging rights.

Highlights: Seldom-seen views of the Mogollon Rim open up for those who venture onto this rugged, steep trail in the pines.
LENGTH: 10.5 miles round-trip
RATING: moderate (difficult in the last 2 miles)
ELEVATION: 5,780’ – 7,300’
BEST SEASONS: March - November
DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 115 miles one-way
GETTING THERE:
From Payson, go north on Highway 87 to Forest Road 64 (Control Road). Go right (east) on FR 64 and continue for 6 miles to Forest Road 440 (Webber Creek Road). Go left (north) on FR 440 and continue 2 miles to the Geronimo trailhead on the right.
Information: (602) 225-5200 or fs.fed.us/r3/tonto

FALL HIKING SEASON!

FALL HIKING SEASON!
Ahh, September. There’s already a nip in the air in Arizona’s high country and that means fall color is just a few weeks away. Because of our state’s multifarious landscape, “autumn” conditions begin in the high elevations in late September and trickle down into the deserts through December. So whether you’re in the mood for aspens, oaks or sycamores, we have a wide window of opportunity for viewing fall foliage.
FIND YOUR HIKE: Click on the "fall color" link in this blog's Trail Index bar. This will bring up 80+ trails with lots of colorful foliage.
EVEN MORE FALL HIKES: pick up a copy of the October 2010 issue of PHOENIX magazine for 4 more great fall hikes---not found on this blog!! On newsstands September 23.
INFORMATION:
For weekly reports, call the Forest Service Fall Color Hotline, 1-800-354-4595 or visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/recreation/fall-colors/fall.shtml